Journaling can be used to help you process bottled up thoughts and feelings, gain insight into yourself, or even act as a nonjudgmental outlet for you to express yourself. It allows you to be completely honest and vulnerable with yourself, without fearing judgment from others or feeling the need to be mindful of the words that you are using to express yourself. What happens however, when journaling doesn’t actually help you reflect on yourself and your feelings? What happens if it instead causes feelings of intimidation, frustration, or even anxiety? If you feel like your mind is going blank trying to get it all out or you have to write them “just so,” journaling is going to feel daunting. If you have the inverse experience, where you become flooded with all of your emotions and memories, and everything comes spilling out of you like word vomit, then journaling is going to feel just as distressing.

Let’s take a moment to first normalize this experience! Journaling can be very difficult and daunting for some people - and that’s okay! If you are the type of individual who does struggle with emotional expression, it makes sense that journaling isn’t proving to be the outlet you’d like for it to be. I’d encourage you to remember that developing a coping skill, such as journaling, is similar to riding a bike. You may feel like you’re losing control, get frustrated, and fall off a few times. It takes practice for it to be effective, as well as trial-and-error.

The best way to start journaling, is to reflect on what your current needs are and what outcome you are looking to have. Different types of journals are tailored to address specific needs and thus yield different results, so start by asking yourself, “What is it that I am looking to get out of this?” And if you aren’t sure what that is right now - that’s also okay. Take a look at some of the different examples below and see if any spark your interest!

Expressive/ Free Writing: This type of journaling is great for those who are looking to let out thoughts and feelings that have been bottled up, who want their flow of consciousness to stream naturally, or are even trying to process stressful situations in their lives. You allow yourself to write non-stop for several minutes and let the thoughts and emotions flow freely.
Guided Journaling: Guided journaling is a form of journaling where you are asked to respond to specific prompts, in order to gain insight into your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Guided journals often have specific themes and questions, to address a specific purpose or area of your life.
Mood Tracking: Mood tracking allows you to track specific emotions and triggers, over a period of time. It’s simple and straightforward, and can even be used in chart form.
Visual Journaling: Visual journaling allows you to express your thoughts and feelings creatively. Some individuals do this by drawing, painting, collaging, etc., rather than utilize words to express themselves.
Bullet Journaling: Bullet journaling has been a trending form of journaling and something you may have even seen on Instagram or Tiktok. You create a log/ grid to track various things such as emotions, tasks, or responsibilities. It allows you to be creative by customizing your journal to your specific needs.

Give yourself some grace if journaling feels hard. Journaling can be so challenging if you struggle with emotional expression and emotional vulnerability. Allow yourself the time and privacy to figure out what works best for YOU!

Samantha Southard